Device for the degermination of a fluid by means of ultraviolet rays

ABSTRACT

A device for the degermination of a fluid by means of UV rays is arranged such that simultaneously produces ozone for the improvement of the degermination effectiveness.

[0001] The invention deals with a device for the degermination of fluid by means of ultraviolet raidiation. The device consists of a tube permeable for electromagnetic waves through which the fluid is piped and a case encircling the tube in which at least one ultraviolet radiator is placed.

[0002] Such a device is known under DE-OS 196 17 487. For the degermination of water, water is flowing through a quartz glass tube and an UV-C radiator is placed in the headspace of the casing. Due to the high degree of reflection, the casing of the UV-radiator is made of aluminum respectively coated with aluminum colour.

[0003] In order to obtain a high degermination effect the registered utility model 298 02 771.2 provides a device for the degermination of fluids by means of UV-rays where sensors recognise fluctuations of the radiation performance. Thus, measures can be carried out to repair such fluctuations. This also helps to achieve a high degree of evenness in the degermination process.

[0004] The invention is meant to solve the task of obtaining both a further improvement of the quality and a better purification of the fluid.

[0005] The device mentioned earlier guarantees that the electromagnetic waves of one or several UV-C-radiators not only lay in the tissue destructive range of 254,7 nm but also in the ozone producing range below 200 nm. The preferred wave range lies below 180 nm. Depending on the wave range of the radiation either a quartz glass tube or a tube of other appropriate material is being use as circulatory tube. Appropriate radiators as well as quartz glass tubes for the production of ozone are available on the market.

[0006] For the permanent production and inflow of produced ozone to the fluid, an inlet nozzle is fixed to the outside of the casing box for the inflow of filtered air into the casing. The ozone produced in the casing is added to the fluid by means of an inlet nozzle. Seen from the current direction, the latter penetrates the tube through the first mounting. There are other inflow places possible. However, this arrangement enables the ozone to become effective in the radiation range of the radiators.

[0007] Preferably the device is placed such that the fluid flows through the tube horizontally from below to the top. Thus, the inlet nozzle is being fixed in the lower part of the casing box, the side wall of which consists of a metal tube.

[0008] In order to effect the blow-by of the ozone into the fluid, the air-pressure in the casing box is higher than the pressure of the fluid in the fluid tube. For this an air feed pump can be connected to the inlet nozzle. The air feed pump as well as a usually used air-filter can be of a known make. The inlet nozzle is equipped with a clack valve to avoid in any case a blow-by of the fluid into the casing should a pressure drop take place.

[0009] Favourably a metal inlet tube the mouth of which is connected to the inlet nozzle at the upper interior space of the casing. As ozone is lighter than air it gathers in this part of the interior space and gets to the inlet nozzle through the inlet tube.

[0010] At the discharge muff of the tube leading the fluid, a gas separator and gas neutralisation device are connected. Like this excess gases and gas mixtures are separated or neutralised.

[0011] The gas separator is extremely simple and inexpensive in its construction. It can be made by a siphon-like tube bend that disposes of a liquid stop valve at its vertex. The liquid stop valve allows the gas mixtures to escape and closes for liquids.

[0012] A container activated charcoal neutralising the gas mixtures can be used as gas neutralisation device.

[0013] Thus, the ozone below a wave range of 200 nm being a product of UV-radiation of the air is added to the fluid which is subject of UV-radiation by a UV radiator. The degerminaton of the fluid is effected through the UV radiation. The admission of ozone not only effects an additional oxidation organic compound in the fluid being made innocuous but also a supplementary extinction of virus and bacteria.

[0014] The invention is being explained in detail by means of an execution example showing in turning cuts, the degermination device (FIG. 1) and the gas separator with activated charcoal container (FIG. 2). FIG. 1 shows a turning cut of the degermination device (1). The device (1) mainly consists of a casing (2) in which the UV radiator is arranged and carrying a tube (4) for the fluid. The casing (2) is made by a tube piece (5) with two cover plates—an upper plate (6) and a lower plate (7). The plate (6) and (7) are flanges fit in tube piece (5) and at their exterior foredges (8) equipped with a washer (9). The fixation of the cover plates (6) and (7) at tube piece (5) can be effected appropriately e.g. through a screwed joints.

[0015] Indexed is a radiator (3). Preferably several radiators (3) are arranged within the perimeter of tube piece (5) in order to achieve the utmost effect of radiator (3) regarding the fluid running through tube (4). The electric connector (10) for the radiator (3) is led air-sealed through the lower cover plate (7) by means of a screw joint (11). The screw joint (11) consists of a connecting piece (12) arranged in cover plate (7) with a thread pocket (13) placing a washer (14) and compressed with a screw (15) and thus sealing the electric connector (10).

[0016] The tube (4) at its ends (16) and (17) is framed through screw joints (18) with washers and through bushings (19) and (20) connected to the cover plates (6) and (7). The fluid runs through tube (4) from below to the top in the direction indicated with the arrow (21). The lower cover plate (7) contains an inlet nozzle (22) through which fresh air from a pump here not shown in detail is fed into the interior space of the casing (23). The air is filtered in order not to contaminate the interior space (23) reducing the radiator performance.

[0017] The wave range of the radiator (3) is designed such that with the air in the interior space (23) ozone is being produced. The ozone gathers in the upper part of the interior space (23) in which lays the mouth (24) of the intake tube (25). The intake tube (25) leads to the inlet nozzle (26) of the mounting (19). The produced ozone is added to the streaming fluid in tube (4) through the intake tube (25) and the inlet nozzle (26). The overpressure in the casing (2) produced by the feed air pump effects the admixture. The clack valve (27) is used to avoid a non-desired back-flow through the intake tube (25). At the inlet nozzles (26) a perforated piece of tube (29) closed at its end is put to support the admixture. Thus the bubbling in of the ozone into the fluid is being effected.

[0018] In the upper cover plate (6) a glass lens (28) is fixed to enable an insight into the interior space. It helps to observe the efficiency of the radiator (3).

[0019] It is mentioned that like already treated in previous registered utility models of the applicant, the device can be equipped with further appliances if requested to observe the effectiveness.

[0020]FIG. 2 represents a cross-section of the gas separator (30) and the gas neutralisation facility (31). The tube bend (32) is screwed into the outlet nozzle of the tube (4). The curvature of the tube bend (32) shows to the top. Its vertex (33) contains the opening (34) through which the gases gathering in the tube curvature can escape. Annexed to the opening (34) is the fluid stop valve (35). It mainly consists of a casing (36) with inlet and outlet opening (37) and (39) as well as an occlusion ball (38). The ball (38) closes the inlet opening (37) in its lower position. With increasing gas pressure in the tube bend (32) the ball (38) is lifted and the gas can escape through the valve (35). Through opening (39) the gas gets into the connected container with activated charcoal (40) which as its name already indicates is filled with activated charcoal (41). The activated charcoal (41) neutralises the gases and thus they reach the ambient air. In case the fluid and not the gases gets to the opening (37), the lighter ball (38) is lifted by the fluid until it closes the opening (39). Thus, the fluid cannot flow into the container with activated charcoal (40).

[0021] At its discharge end (43), the tube bend (32) is equipped with a screw joint through which it can be connected with the discharge tube. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Device for the degermination of a fluid by means of WV rays with a tube permeable for electromagnetic waves through which the fluid is led and a casing encircling the tube arranging at least one WV radiator, marked by the fact that electromagnetic waves of the one or several UV-C radiators (3) lay in the tissue destroying area of 254,7 nm as well as the ozone producing area below 200 nm.
 2. Device according to claim 1 marked by the fact that the wave range lies below 180 nm.
 3. Device according to claims 1 and 2 marked by the fact that a quartz glass tube or a UV resisting and WV-permeable plastic tube is used as tube (4).
 4. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 3 marked by the fact that the casing (2) is equipped with an inlet nozzle led to the external casing side (7) used for the intake of filtered air into the casing (2) and having an inlet nozzle (26) for the intake of the produced ozone into the fluid which disposes of the first holding (19) of the tube seen from the direction of the current (21) of the fluid.
 5. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 4 marked by the fact that the inlet nozzle (22) is fixed at the lower cover plate (7) of the casing (2).
 6. Device according to one of the clams 1 to 5 marked by the fact that the inlet nozzle (26) is equipped with a back-flow valve (27).
 7. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 6 marked by the fact that an metal inflow tube (25) is connected to the inlet nozzle (26) the mouth (24) is placed in the upper part of the interior space (23) of the casing (2).
 8. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 7 marked by the fact that the air pressure in the casing (2) is higher than the pressure of the fluid in the tube (4).
 9. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 8 marked by the fact that a gas separator (30) and a gas neutralisation appliance (31) are connected to the outlet nozzle of the tube (4) leading the fluid.
 10. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 9 marked by the fact that the gas separator (30) consists of a tube bend (32) and a fluid stop valve (35) arranged at its vertex (33).
 11. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 10 marked by the fact that the gas neutralisation appliance (31) is a container with activated charcoal (40). 